Winding apparatus.



Patented July 6, 1915."

2 SHEETSSHEET Y.

INVENTOR WITNESSES i 2%5M ATTORNEY I C.- R. UEBELMESSER.

WINDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1908- RENEWED NOV. 25. 1914. I

. Patented July 6, 1915 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CHARLES R. UEBELMESSER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, T AMERICAN STANDARD MOTION PICTURE YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MACHINE COMPANY, INC., OF-NEW WINDING APPARATUS.

Application filed'April 25, 1908, Serial No. 429,135.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEs R. UEBEL- MESSER, a subject of the Emperorof Germany, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York,United States of America, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Winding Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

My inventionrelates to new and useful improvements in winding apparatusand consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinshown and described, the novel features of which are set forth inclaims.

Referring to the drawings,-Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly insection, of a portion of a moving picture machine with my inventionapplied thereto. Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation of the parts shown in Fig.. 1, with a some of them broken away to more clearly show theconstruction. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the apparatus shown inFig. 1, the section being taken on the line 33 of the latter figure.Fig. 4 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is asectional rear elevation on an enlarged scale of the winding mechanismwhich I have invented showing some details of its construction. Fig. 6is'a perspective View of certain parts of my invention illustrating theoperation of the apparatus.

L ike characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all ofthe figures.

10 designates the casing or frame. of a moving picture machine ofordinary con-. struction. I 11, 11 are brackets projecting from theupper portion of this casing and arranged to support a shaft 12 uponwhich a reel may be mounted. 13 is a sprocketwheel afiixed to' the shaft12. Projecting from the lower portion of the casing 10 is a supportingframe 14 which supports the vertical spindle 30 and other parts whichwill be pointed out later.

14 is a bridge-piece extending over the top of the supporting frame 14.One end of this bridge-piece is hinged at 14 and the other end isarranged to be connected with the supporting frame by a spring-catch 1415 are brackets affixed to the supporting frame which form bearings fora shaft 16, to the outer end of which is affixed a sprocket-wheel 17.

Specification of Letters Patent;

Patented July 3,1215. Renewed November 25, 1914. Serial No. 874,093.

in the form of a short hollow cylinder with a closed base 22. Theinternal diameter of the vertical flange or wall of this cylinder ispreferably about equal to that of the outer diameter of the film uponreel 20. The central portion of this base is carried down through thesupporting frame 14 in the form of a hollow circular hub 23. The centerof the frame 14 is constructed to form a bearing for this hub, and awasher 24 may be interposed between the base 22 and the upper surface ofthe frame 14 to allow the receiving member to rotate freely within theframe.

is a bevel-gear affixed tothe hub 23 and in mesh with the bevel-gear 19.The gear 25 is of slightly greater diameter than that of the gear 19.The spindle passes freely through the center of the hub 23 and extendsinto the center of the receiving member 21. At the upper end of thisspindle 30 a driving spool 31 is aflixed. This spool comprises near itsupper and lower edges twosets of projecting teeth 32.

33 is an auxiliary guiding spool, the upper and lowerflanges of whichbear upon the teeth 32- so that the rotation of spool 31 is transmittedto the spool 33. The vertical support '34, upon which spool 33 isrotatably supported in a slot 14.

mounted, is slidably in the bridge 14%. A spring 35 is provided forpressing the support 34 toward the center of the frame and keepingthefianges of spool 33 in contact with teeth 32 of the drivv 3 ing spool31.

.36 is a bevelgear aflixed to the lower end of the spindle 30 and inmesh with a similar bevel-gear 37 rigidly mounted upon a shaft 38 whichis mounted in the brackets 15 and has affixed to it a sprocket-wheel 39.In Fig. 5 this shaft 38 is shown divided with its two parts connectedtogether through a friction drive connection 38. I

40 is a motor driven shaft upon the upper and lower ends of which areaffixed driving gears 41 and 42 which are in mesh with and arranged todrive other gears 43 and 44. The latter gears are arranged to rotate twodriving spools 45 and 46, similar in construction to the spool 31, and,like the latter, having auxiliary guiding spools associated with them.47 is another driving spool arranged to be rotated from the shaft 40with an intermittent motion through intermediate mechanism which is notshown, as it is a connnon part of a moving picture machine and forms nopart of the present invention.

-18 is a sprocket-wheel connected to rotate with the gear 44 and thedriving spool 46.

' .A sprocket-chain 49 connects this sprocketwheel 48 with thesprocket-wheel 39.

50 is a film such as is used in a moving picture machine and is providedalong its edges with the usual series of perforations 51. The teeth uponall of the driving spools above pointed out are designed and spaced tofit into these perforations and to impart to the film the des redmovements.

The various parts of this apparatus have now been pointed out, and Iwill proceed to describe their operation. The film 50 is wound up and iscarried by the reel 20. The latter is then placed upon the shaft 12, towhich it is keyed, and the end of the film carried down over the drivingspools 45, 47 46 and 31. Now, when the motor driven shaft 40 is rotated,all of these driving spools will be rotated at an equal rate of speed,and the spool 47 will be given the additional intermittent movementbefore mentioned. This will cause the film to be unwound from the reel20 at a certain rate of speed, and to be pushed at the same time and atthe same rate of speed by the driving spool 31 into the receiving member21. The internal diameter of the receiving member is made approximatelyequal to the external diameter of the film 50 when the latter is allwound upon the reel 20. It may be seen that the unwinding of the filmfrom the reel will cause the latter to be rotated. As the film isunwound at a uniform rate, the rate of rotation of the reel willincrease as the outside diameter of the film remaining uponthe reeldecreases. The mechanical connections between the reel and the receivingmember are such that this variable rotation of the reel will betransmitted to the receiving member so that the speed of the latter willincrease as the internal diameter of the film, which (s being coiled upwithin it, gets smaller. In order that this coiling up of the. filmwithin the receiving member be made properly, it is important that theinternal circumferential speed of the film within the receiving memberbe not faster than the lineal speed of the film past the driving spools.In fact it is preferable to make this circumferential speed somewhatslower so that the film will pack itself together. When the connectionsare made to produce this result the non-positive friction driveconnection 38 is interposed in the shaft 38 to allow for slip and toprevent buckling of the film within the receiving member. As some of thefilms are shorter than othersand consequently their diameter, when woundup and placed upon reel 20, is smaller-one or more rings or collars 21of desired thicknesses may be provided which may be inserted within thereceiving member as shown in section in Fig. 5 before the beginning ofthe operation to compensate for this difference. After the .film hasbeen entirely unwound from the reel 20 it will have been coiled upwithin the receiving member with its end which was originally on theinside of the reel 20 now on the inside of the coil'within the receivingmember. The bridge-piece 14 of the supporting frame may now be removed,and the wound up coil replaced upon the reel 20 or placed upon anothersimilar reel, one side of which is made removable for this purpose. Areel so constructed is fully described in a pending application forpatent filed by me March 31st, 1908, bearing Serial Number 424,312.

I have shown my invention as applied to a moving picture machine as thisforms a convenient example and illustration of its operation and use. Iby no means wish to limit myself to this particular use as the inventionis applicable to many other forms of apparatus; in fact to nearly anycase where a reel of material is to be coiled or wound up a plurality oftimes in the same direction or order. The perforated paper rolls ofmechanical players is an example of such use. In such devices therollers when used are wound up on a reelor spindle and have to beunwound to get them again in proper position for being. used.

What I claim is.

1. In an apparatus for unwinding and winding a flexible strip, a hollowrotatable receiving member for the strip, means for positivelydelivering the strip to the inner periphery of the receiving member, andmeans for rotating the receiving member at a variable rate proportionalto the rate of movement of the strip within said member.

2. In an apparatus for unwinding and winding a flexible strip, 'a hollowcylindrical receiving member for the strip, means for positivelydelivering the strip to the inner periphery of the receiving member soas to coil it upon itself at a fixed rate of speed, and means forrotating the receiving 1nember at an increasing rate proportional to therate of peripheral movement of the inner convolutions of the strip-coilwithin said member.

3. In an apparatus for unwinding and winding a flexible strip, a hollowrotatable cylindrical receiving member for the strip, means for pushingthe strip into the receiving member against the inner wall thereof andcoiling it upon itself, a reel constructed to deliver the strip from theouter periphery of the strip roll and. driving connections between thereel and the receiving member whereby the receiving member is rotated atan increasing rate proportional to the speed of the strip and to therate of peripheral movement of the inner convolutions of the strip-coilwithin said member.

4. In an apparatus for unwinding and winding a flexible strip, a reelupon which the strip may be placed in the form of a coil wound in onedirection, means for unwinding said strip-coil from its outer periphery,cooperating means in which the strip may be wound into a coil from theinside in the same direction as that in which it is wound on the reeland mechanism for rotating said cooperating means. I

5. In an apparatus for unwinding and winding a flexible strip, a reelconstructed to deliver the strip from the outer periphery of a roll, ahollow cylindrical receiving member, means for unwinding the strip fromthe reel and for positively delivering said strip to the inner peripheryof the receiving member, and driving connections between the reel andthe receiving member whereby the receiving member is rotated at a rateproportional to that of the rotation of the reel. v

6. In an apparatus for unwinding and winding a flexible strip, a reelconstructed to deliver the strip from the outer periphery of a rollthereon, a hollow cylindrical receiving member, mechanism for unwindingthe strip from the reel to thereby rotate the reel, said mechanism beingarranged to push the strip into-the receiving member against the innerwall thereof, and means for transmitting the rotation of the reel to thereceiving member.

7 In an apparatus for unwinding and winding 2. flexible strip,- a reelconstructed to deliver the strip from the outer periphery of a rollthereon, a hollow cylindrical receiving member, a plurality ofpositively rotated driving spools arranged to unwind the strip from thereel and to thereby rotate the reel, the rotation of said spools beingarranged to push the strip into the receiving member against the innerwall thereof, and driving connections between the reel and the receivingmember for transmitting the rotation of the reel to the receivingmember.

8. In an apparatus for unwinding and winding a flexible strip, a shaft,a reel positively mounted upon said shaft and constructed to deliver thestrip from the outer periphery of a roll thereon, a hollow cylindricalreceiving member, a plurality of positively rotated driving spoolsarranged to unwind the strip from thereel and to thereby rotate thereel, the rotation of said spools being arranged to push the strip intothe receiving member against the inner wall thereof, actuating mechanismfor rotating the re,- ceiving member, and connections between the reelshaft and said actuating mechanism for transmitting the rotation of thereel to the receiving member.

9. In anapparatus for unwinding and winding a flexible strip, a reelpositively mounted upon said shaft and constructed to deliver the stripfrom the outer periphery of a roll thereon, a hollow cylindricalreceiving member of substantially the same internal diameter as theoutside diameter of the strip-roll upon the reel, a plurality ofpositively rotated driving spools arranged.

to unwind the strip from the reel and to thereby rotate the reel, therotation of said spools being arranged to push the strip into thereceiving member against said flange, actuating mechanism for rotatingthe receiving member, and connections between the reel shaft and theactuating mechanism for transmitting the rotation of the reel to thereceiving member. 1

10. In an apparatus for unwinding and ,winding a flexible strip, ashaft, a reel positively mounted upon said shaft and constructed todeliver the strip from the outer periphery of a roll thereon, a hollowcylindrical receiving member, a device arranged to change the internaldiameter of the. receiving member to correspond with the externaldiameter of the flexible strip-coil upon the reel, a plurality ofpositively rotated driving spools arranged to unwind the strip from thereel and to thereby rotate the reel, the rotation of said spools beingarranged to push the strip into the receiving member against the innerwall thereof, actuating mechanism for rotating the receiving member, andconnections between the reel shaft and the actuating mechanism fortransmitting the rotation of the reel to the receiving member.

11. In an apparatus for unwinding and winding a flexible strip, a hollowcylindrical receiving member, means for pushing said strip into thereceiving member against the inner wall thereof, and driving means forrotating the receiving member at an increasing rate, proportional to therate of peripheral movement of said strip within the rethe reel,anddriving means actuated by the rotationof the reel for rotating thereceiving member slower than the rotatlon of the reel and at a rateproportional to the rate of rotation of the reel.

13. In an apparatus for unwinding and winding a flexible strip, a reelupon which the strip may be wound, a hollow cylindrical receivingmember, mechanism for unwinding the strip from the reel, said mechanismbeing arranged to rotate the reel and to push the strip into thereceiving member at a fixed rate of speed, and driving means actuated bythe rotation of the reel for rotating the receiving member at a rateslower than that of the rotation-of the reel.

14. In an apparatus for unwinding and winding a flexible strip, a shaft,a reel positively mounted upon said shaft and constructed to deliver thestrip from the outer periphery of a roll thereon, a hollow cylindricalreceiving member, a plurality of positively rotated driving spoolsarranged .to unwind the strip from the reel and to thereby rotate thereel, and to push the strip into the receiving member, actuatingmechanism for rotating the receiving member, driving connections betweenthe reel shaft and the actuating mechanism for transmitting the rotationof the reel to the receiving member at a slower rate of rotation, and

a yieldable joint between said actuating mechanism and the drivingspools.

15. In 'an apparatus for unwinding and winding a flexible strip, ashaft, a reel positively mounted upon said shaft and constructed todeliver the strip from the outer periphery of a roll thereon, a hollowcylindrical receiving member having a flange of substantially the sameinternal diameter as the external diameter of the strip-coil upon thereel, a plurality of positively rotated driving spools arranged tounwind the strip from the reel and to therebv rotate the reel and itsshaft,'and to push the strip into the receiving member, actuatingmechanism for rotating the receiving member, connections between thereel shaft and the actuating mechanism for transmitting the rotation ofthe reel to the receiving member at a slower rate, and a slidablefriction joint between said actuating mechanism and the driving spools.16. In an apparatus for unwindin and winding a flexible strip, a shaft,a ree positively mounted upon said shaft and constructed to deliver thestrip from the outer periphery of a roll thereon, a hollow cylindricalreceiving member, a device for changing the internal diameter of thereceiving member to substantially correspond with the external diameterof the strip-coil upon' the reel, a plurality of positively'rotateddriving spools arranged to unwind the strip from the reel and to therebyrotate the reel and its shaft, and to push the strip into the receivingmember at a fixed rate of speed, an actuating shaft, and gearingarranged to rotate the receiving 'member, driving connections betweenthe reel shaft and the actuating shaft for rotating the actuating shaftat a slower rate than that of the reel shaft, and a slidable frictionjoint between said actuating mechanism and the driving spools.

17. In an apparatus for unwinding and winding a flexible strip, ahorizontal shaft, a reel positively mounted upon said shaft andconstructed to deliver the strip from the outer periphery of a rollthereon, a horizontally disposed hollow cylindrical receiving memberhaving a vertical flange, means for changing the effective internaldiameter of the receiving member flange to substantially correspond withthe external diameter of the strip coil upon the reel, a supportingframe and a pivoted bridge-piece rotatably supporting the receivingmember, a plurality of positively rotated driving spools arranged tounwind the strip from the reel and to thereby rotate the reel and itsshaft, and to push the strip at a fixed rate of speed against the innerperiphery of the flange of the receiving member to coil said strip upupon itself from the inside, a shaft and gearing actuated by therotation of the reel and arranged to rotate the receiving member at aslower rate than that of the rotation of the reel, a sprocket-chainconnecting 3 the reel shaft and the actuating shaft, a slidable frictionjoint between said actuating mechanism and the driving spools.

18. Incombination with a moving picture machine, a horizontal shaft, areel positively mounted upon said shaft and constructed to deliver afilm from the outer periphery of a roll thereon, a horizontally disposedhollow cylindrical receiving member with an internal diametersubstantially corresponding with the diameter of the film-coil upon thereel, a supporting frame and a hinge-piece rotatably supporting thereceiving member, means for raising said bridgepiece, a plurality ofpositively rotated driving spools arranged to engage with and to unwindthe strip from the reel and to there' by rotate the reel and its shaft,and to push the film.at a fixed rate of speed against the innerperiphery of the flange of the receiving member to coil said film upupon'itself from the inside, a shaft and gearing actuated by therotation of the coil and arranged to rotate the receiving member at aslower rate than that of the rotation of the reel, a sprocket-chainconnecting the reelshaft and the actuating shaft, and a slidablefriction joint between said actuating mechanism and the driving spools.

19. In motion picture apparatus, a film reel constructed to deliver thefilm from the and means for rotating the receiving memher at a rateproportional to the rate of movement of the film within said member.

20. In motion picture apparatus, a film reel constructed to deliver thefilm from the outer periphery of the film roll, a hollow rotatablereceiving member for the film, means for positively drawing the filmfrom the reel and delivering it to the inner periphery of the receivingmember and means for driving the receiving member from the reel, wherebythe receiving member is driven at a rate proportional to the rate ofmovement of the film within said member.

21. In film winding mechanism, a magazine reel, and a winding barreladapted to receive the film from the magazine reel and means to wind thesame within the barrel so that the front end of the film will bedisposed outwardly of the innermost wound portion of the film.

22. In film winding mechanism, a revoluble reel and a revolublewindingbarrel adapted to receive the film from the reel and means toWind the film within the barrel so that the front end of the film willbe disposed outwardly of the innermost wound portion of the film.

23. In combination, a supporting member or a roll of tape of flexiblematerial, a receiving member for the roll, and means for unwinding thetape, feeding it to the receiving member, and rewinding the tape againstthe inner periphery of the said receiving member with the leading endout.

24. In combination, a supporting member for a roll of film, a rotatablereceiver, means for conveying the leading end of the film to thereceiver, and means for coiling the film in the receiver with theleading end outermost.

25. In combination a supporting member for a roll of tape, a rotatablereceiver, and means for coiling the tape in the receiver progressivelyinward toward the center of the receiver.

26. In film winding mechanism, a magazine reel, a winding barrel, meansfor guiding the film into the barrel and means for winding the filmwithin the barrel so that the front end of the film will be disposedoutwardly of the innermost wound portion.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES R. UEBELMESSER.

Witnesses:

ERNEST W. MARSHALL, ELLA LINI).

